Fragile Lives

by Jane A. Adams

  ‘George,’ she said, ‘hand me back to Andrew, please.’

  George did as she asked and Andrew listened and then hung up. ‘She wants you to stay here,’ he said. ‘She’s going to call Mac and he’ll probably want to talk to you so we stay put and wait for orders, OK?’

  George nodded. ‘Do you think they’ll be all right? Cheryl looked, I don’t know, she looked crumpled, limp. And who are the kids?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Andrew told him. ‘She promised she’d give me an exclusive afterwards.’ He grinned at George.

  ‘You’re a reporter?’

  ‘Not usually that kind,’ Andrew said. ‘But a good journalist knows a scoop when it lands on his doorstep.’ He smiled reassuringly then pointed to an easy chair close by the fire. ‘Sit,’ he said, ‘before you fall down. Simeon and I will rustle up something for you to eat.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ Tim asked.

  ‘That was George. He was off school today. Coran is at Hill House and he has the girls with him. They aren’t at the farm. Mac is on a wild goose chase there.’

  Thirty-One

  Rina’s news threw everything into confusion.

  ‘There’s no doubt about this?’ Kendal wanted to know. ‘We’re trusting the word of a thirteen-year-old.’

  ‘How could he make this up? He knew nothing about the Goldman kids, but he does know Coran by sight. No, if George says he’s at Hill House then that’s where he is. We had a patrol car there most of the night but it seems they were withdrawn at eight thirty. The kids would have left for school. I’ll make a bet that Coran was watching.’

  ‘I’ll speak to Tyson, this changes the balance here,’ Kendal said. ‘You’d better start getting things mobilized.’ He winced. ‘I don’t want to think who’ll be footing the bill for this.’

  Mac nodded. It would take time to shift operations over to Hill House, or rather, to set up yet another task force. So, Coran was only one man, but he had three hostages. What was he waiting for? What did he want? Why not just cut and run? What did he want the children for?

  Stan was not prepared to wait this time. According to Rina, the police had no truly local resources to call on unless you counted a probationer and an elderly sergeant and a man nearing retirement. Resources would have to be called in from Dorchester and Honiton and probably Exeter. It was time, he worried, that they didn’t have.

  ‘Coran is just one man,’ he told Rina.

  ‘An armed and dangerous man and there are more people than Coran to consider.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘For what it’s worth, I’m with Stan,’ Fitch said. ‘I say we go after the bastard, take him out.’

  Rina eyed him suspiciously. He was enjoying this far too much, she thought, though she understood that the opportunity to act after so much frustration was overwhelming.

  ‘And if we get it wrong? We’ll have to live with that.’

  ‘There is no “we”, Rina.’

  ‘You’ll need a distraction, something to bring him to the front of the house, away from the children. Tim and I are it, I think.’

  Stan shook his head.

  ‘What can I do?’ Joy asked.

  ‘You can stay put,’ Fitch told her.

  Joy turned on him. ‘Fitch, I almost died last night. If it hadn’t been for Stan I’d be lying at the bottom of the ocean somewhere with a bullet in my brain. I think I’m a bit past telling no to. I got a second chance. I want to help those kids get one too.’

  ‘I don’t believe Coran would kill them,’ Stan said.

  ‘But can you be sure?’

  He shrugged uncomfortably then looked away.

  ‘Right, so let’s stop wasting time. Rina, do you know the layout of the house?’ Fitch asked.

  ‘I know what Mac’s told me, but that’s all.’

  ‘Then we get George on the phone while we drive up there. He can fill us in. Everyone ready?’

  No one was, but no one said so. ‘This is mad,’ Tim muttered.

  ‘It is that,’ Rina agreed, ‘but at least you’ll have a story to tell all those military relatives of yours. They may begin to think you’re almost normal.’

  Tyson had thought carefully about how to play the new situation. He understood now why it had felt so wrong; so inauthentic. He decided he would play it straight and tell them what he now knew.

  ‘Inside the house,’ he called. ‘Inside the house, I hope you’re listening. I suggest you take up my suggestion and come out now, unarmed and with your hands raised. We’ve just received information about an associate of yours, a certain Mr Coran. It would appear that he took your bargaining chips away some time ago. As I understand it, gentlemen, lady, the children are no longer in your possession.’

  Inside the house there was consternation.

  ‘I told you he sold us out.’ Thompson was furious. ‘Bastard.’

  Tina, sitting at the top of the stairs, burst into tears. ‘I don’t want to do this any more. What’s the bloody point?’

  ‘They could be bluffing,’ Grogan protested. ‘Trying to shake us up.’

  ‘But they know about Coran,’ Thompson said. ‘That ain’t a bluff.’

  ‘We’re armed, we could fight our way out.’

  ‘What, go down in a blaze of glory like Butch and Sundance? Get real, Grogan.’

  Outside, Tyson could almost feel the tension and the disagreement. He told his men to stand by. It would not be long now.

  An officer came up close behind him and whispered that the negotiator had finally arrived and was waiting down the lane.

  Tyson laughed. ‘Brilliant sense of timing,’ he said. ‘Tell him I’ll come down as soon as I can. To stay put in the meantime.’ A change of voice now could slow things down or even scupper things completely, Tyson knew. He hadn’t exactly achieved rapport with those inside the house, but he felt the balance shifting and was not prepared to let go now.

  ‘Inside the house, I would like a response from you. We know it’s only you in there, the kids are gone. No innocent lives to worry about. Maybe you should think about that.’

  A few minutes more and he knew that his estimation had been right. The door opened just a crack and a scared, female voice was heard. ‘Don’t shoot, please. I’m coming out and I never had a gun.’

  ‘Come out slowly, hands above your head.’

  Tina emerged, blinking back tears. Slowly the others followed, Grogan last of all.

  Tyson breathed a sigh of relief.

  ‘Tell the negotiator that he’s got an early finish,’ Tyson said.

  Thirty-Two

  Though they didn’t realize it, they halted the car in the same place Coran had done earlier that day. From where Fitch parked, the drive up to Hill House rose steeply, hiding the house from view but equally hiding them from the house.

  ‘Everyone know what to do?’ Stan asked. ‘Good. Well, here goes nothing.’ He grinned at Rina. ‘Nice meeting you, Mrs Martin.’

  ‘Likewise, Mr Holden.’

  He and Fitch got out of the car and slipped into the grounds of Hill House. They would circle round, come up from the rear. George had given them a good idea of where the best cover was and the riskiest part would be reaching the conservatory. The lawn gave little opportunity for concealment.

  George had told them that the doors were locked. There would be no way of entering without at least a little noise.

  Rina and the others sat and waited at the foot of the drive. Give them five minutes, Stan had said, guessing at how long they might need. It seemed to stretch forever and Rina had rarely felt so exposed, sitting in a large black car on a side road that led nowhere. It was as though she could feel Coran’s eyes searching for them, Coran’s senses tingling, comic-book style.

  She looked at her watch again, listened to see if it had stopped. It ticked as happily as ever, reminding her of simpler times. Still two minutes to go.

  Inside the house, Coran tried the mobile again. The woman replied.

  Coran was rea
dy for her this time.

  ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I know you’re not Mrs Goldman, so pass this on. I want the transfer codes. Goldman will know what I mean. I’ve got his kids and I’m ready to trade.’

  He rang off, switched off the phone. He knew it was easier to trace a mobile these days but he wasn’t sure quite how easy. He chafed against the wasted time, feeling it running out. He should have spoken to the woman the first time she replied. Made his demands then. It would have all been done and dusted by now. He cursed himself for cocking up. Maybe Stan was right and he wasn’t the only one getting old and slow.

  One of the kids whimpered. Coran silenced her with a look. She had pissed herself an hour or more ago and now wriggled uncomfortably on the wooden chair.

  ‘Serves you right,’ Coran said.

  ‘Coran’s been trying to reach Goldman,’ Mac was told. ‘He’s made several calls from the same number. He seems to have only just cottoned on that Goldman isn’t responding.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘Confirmed he had the kids. Said he wanted some transfer codes?’

  ‘Bank transfer,’ Mac said. ‘He’s trying to take control of Haines’s accounts. Can we ring him back?’

  ‘Phone’s off. No doubt he’ll make contact again.’

  ‘They’ve had their five minutes,’ Rina said. ‘Right, Tim. Off we go.’

  He started the engine, took a deep breath and accelerated up the drive. A distraction, Fitch had said. They just needed a distraction to give them time to get inside.

  Well, Tim planned on being the best damned distraction ever. After all, he reasoned, wasn’t that what magic was all about?

  Stan checked his watch. They were at the rear of Hill House, concealed by bushes, looking into the conservatory. Coran was inside. They could see him sitting at the dining-room table staring intently at something but could not make out what he was doing. They would be fully in his view if he did not move and Stan could see no way of crossing the lawn without breaking cover.

  ‘It’s up to the others now,’ he said.

  ‘But will he go for it?’ Fitch asked. ‘Or will he refuse to be distracted?’

  Stan shrugged. He glanced at his watch again. ‘We should find out any moment now,’ he said.

  They could hear the car engine as Tim gunned it up the drive. Coran heard it too, lifting his head, then getting up and going to the dining-room door and looking out through the second sitting room and into the hall.

  ‘Go,’ Stan breathed.

  They ran, jinking across the open space to the conservatory door at the farthest end from the dining room. Coran was no longer in their view and they had no idea if they were in his. The roar of the engine increased and then came the sound of a car horn, held down and blaring loudly.

  Stan took that moment to kick the door and shatter the old frame. An almighty crash sounded from the front of Hill House. What the hell was going on? Fitch dived past him into the second sitting room. Stan ran down the length of the conservatory and into the dining room. The kids were screaming behind the tea towel gags. On the floor the woman lay still in a pool of her own blood. Coran was halfway between dining room and hall. He was about to turn.

  Stan dived for cover, came up ready to fire. He heard the explosive crack as someone beat him to it. Who? Fitch or Coran? He rolled beneath the table and came up, gun raised, on the other side.

  From the front of the house an engine screamed and glass shattered as the car crashed through the double doors and into the hall.

  Someone fired again and Stan saw Fitch go down. Coran rose to his feet as he turned. Stan saw his face just for an instant. It was enough. Coran fell heavily, crashing on to the hall floor.

  Stan kicked the gun away from his outstretched hand, but Coran did not move.

  ‘Nicely parked,’ Fitch croaked as Tim shakily emerged from the battered car. Joy kicked open her door and then ran to Fitch.

  ‘The kids are in there,’ Stan told Rina. ‘The woman looks to be in a bad way.’

  ‘Tim!’

  ‘I know. Ambulance and police,’ Tim said as he surveyed the devastation he had wrought.

  After

  Stan had killed Coran, that was the long and short of it and although he might, in some eyes, have finally been on the side of the angels, he would serve time for it. He faced the prospect with equanimity. Meanwhile, on remand and awaiting trial he was cooperating with the ongoing investigation, though the truth was, he told Rina when she visited him, he was taken aback by the scale of it.

  Haines seemed to have vanished into thin air. Maybe Stan should ask Tim how that was done, it would be a good trick. Haines would be back though. His sort always were.

  ‘How’s George? I never did get to meet him. But he wrote me a lovely letter,’ Stan told Rina.

  ‘He’s doing fine. Better than fine. Cheryl’s family regard him as something of a hero. She almost died.’

  ‘But she’s recovering?’

  ‘Slowly, but yes. She’ll be fine.’

  ‘That’s good to hear. And the children?’

  ‘Are recovering well, apparently. I think the parents may take a little longer, especially Mrs Goldman. Mac says the poor woman daren’t leave them alone for a minute.’

  ‘Do you think she’ll forgive her husband? Would you? Could you?’

  ‘Mine would not have done what hers did,’ Rina said confidently. ‘Fred was a simple, honest man. I don’t believe he’d be capable of doing anything so cruel.’

  ‘Young Joy? Fitch?’ He wanted news about all of them.

  ‘Joy has decided to stay on at college for another year. She says it’s what Pat would have wanted and Fitch will probably never do one-armed press-ups again, but he sends his regards. The family are very grateful to him and I’ve no doubt he’s got a job for life. You’ll see him in court, I expect. You’ll see us all in court. Did you know they almost charged Tim with criminal damage?’

  ‘Really?’ Stan howled with laughter at the thought. ‘I imagine he was mortified. And how is his alter ego?’

  ‘Oh, Marvello is going down a storm.’ She smiled at him. ‘You know we’ll all be fighting for you, don’t you, and that we’ll keep in touch and keep visiting and, provided I’m not too old and grey when they let you out, there’ll be a place for you at Peverill Lodge.’

  ‘Now, why would you do that?’

  ‘Why not?’ Rina asked. ‘Actually, I’ve got a question for you from George. I don’t know why he thinks you’re the best person to answer, but he does, so …’

  ‘What is it?’ Stan was intrigued.

  ‘He wants to know if you think his sister will come back.’

  ‘And why ask me?’

  ‘Like I said. George sometimes has some odd ideas.’

  Stan sighed, then he nodded. ‘Of course she will,’ he said. ‘Life moves in circles and one day she’ll circle back towards him. She won’t be able to help herself. He’ll pull her back as surely as if she was tethered to him. And you tell him, when she does, he should hug her and kiss her and tell her that he loves her forever and then buy her the first ticket he can find on any bus or boat or train or dog sled heading out. She doesn’t belong in his life any more and he doesn’t belong in hers. If he did, she’d have taken him with her.’

  She smiled at him. Visiting time was over and it was time to go. ‘That’s what he figured,’ she said.

  Mac called as she was on her way home. No reason, just to check that all was well.

  ‘You’ll come to tea on Sunday? George and Ursula will be there.’ This was becoming a semi-regular event.

  ‘I’ll do my best.’

  ‘You can bring a guest, should you want to. You know that, don’t you?’

  He laughed. ‘I know that but if you don’t mind I think I’ll get to know Miriam a little better first, before I introduce her to the rest of the family.’

  He rang off shortly after and Rina smiled at the phone. Family, he had said. That was a good thing, but he w
as probably right to wait before he introduced his lady friend. The Martin household was a hard act to join.